Several years ago Wife and I were heading to Nevada on Hwy-50.
Picked up 50 in Sacramento, and it take,s you over the mountains to Lake Tahoe, and eventually through Carson City, across Nevada towards Utah etc...
The Summit before getting to Tahoe is around 7300 ft.
We were driving the Mercedes 240D ( 4 banger Diesel) 4-spd, and suddenly felt the engine start to loose power and kind of shake... told my wife "OH OH Fuel Filter".
Pulled over popped the Hood, removed metal band on Racor, lifted Lid, and removed the paper Filter. It pushes onto a nipple under the Lid. Put Filter in a paper Coffee Cup. (Didn`t have a spare new Filter) pushed the Manual primer Pump on side of Lift Pump to top off Fuel Bowl. Replaced Lid and metal band, and drove off.
There is the secondary spin on filter so wasn`t too worried.... and the Racor is an add on. It was black and sides sucked it. Amazing what it catches that is in the fuel, bottom of bowl catches any water etc.. the swirls to the bottom.
I usually change this filter around 12K miles and just forgot to swap it out.
I will tell you it will shut you down at 22K miles...
Not a problem with the unit, just a problem with DA here.
When we got back home, picked up another Filter at West Marine.
My attitude is, you need the cleanest fuel possible going through the IP and Injectors, and best filtration possible.
Goat